Title IX FAQs

Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education (the workplace, the classroom or any setting directly related to an individual’s education). This law is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.

Title IX states “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance[.]”

No. Title IX addresses many instances of discrimination based on sex/gender, including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. On college campuses, Title IX policies must address:

• Equal access to athletic opportunities
• Bullying
• Equal opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
• Discrimination against pregnant and parenting students
• Incidents of sexual harassment, assault or discrimination

Yes. Federal law protects all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, immigration status, or whether they have a disability. The College has developed extensive policies and procedures relating to protecting its students from this type of discrimination.

These policies outline laws - like Title IX (prohibiting sex discrimination), the Clery Act (mandating reporting of crimes on campus), and the 2013 Campus SaVE Act (broadening the scope of responsibility to include dating violence, domestic violence and stalking) - that make clear the obligations of colleges and universities to provide a safe and secure educational environment free from discrimination, harassment and violence.

Additionally, Emmanuel College prohibits a broad continuum of behaviors, some of which are not prohibited under Title IX or other laws. This reflects the College’s commitment to ensuring that each person has the right to work and be educated in an atmosphere that is free from discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Yes. The federal government revised Title IX legislation in 2020 to make it clear that colleges are responsible for investigating any claim of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, occurring within the educational program.

Sexual harassment has a four-part definition.

1. Unwelcome conduct on the basis of sex “determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectionably offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the school’s education program or activity;”
2. an employee conditioning the provision of aid, benefit, or service on an individual’s participation in unwelcome conduct (quid pro quo);
3. or sexual assault (as defined by the Clery Act), dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking (as defined by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)).
4. The alleged conduct must have occurred in the United States within an Emmanuel College education program or activity, which includes “locations, events or circumstances over which the school exercises substantial control over both the respondent and the context in which the sexual harassment occurred.”

Emmanuel College takes allegations of sex discrimination and harassment very seriously and will respond promptly to a report. The first step is to file a report. If an individual does not file a report, but discloses information about a possible act of discrimination to a College employee (staff or faculty), that employee is required to report the matter to the Title IX Coordinator for investigation.

Please view this guide for finding support and knowing your rights.

Yes. If you have been subjected to unwanted sexual contact or sexual harassment, your gender and the gender of the alleged perpetrator are irrelevant. Such conduct is prohibited by Title IX.

• Consent is the act of willingly and affirmatively agreeing to engage in specific sexual behavior.
• Silence or non-communication must never be interpreted as consent.
• A person in a state of diminished judgment cannot consent.
• A person can withdraw consent at any time during the course of a sexual encounter.

First and foremost, any member of the Emmanuel College community who has been assaulted should seek emergency support, whether by calling the Office of Campus Safety or 911. The health and safety of any individual is paramount. It is important to be mindful of preserving any evidence and you will be walked through this with emergency personnel.

Filing a report is also critically important. The Title IX Coordinator or a Deputy Coordinator (see Title IX staff page) will meet with you one-on-one to discuss all options and next steps. Please also visit the Supportive Measures page to understand services and resources.

Click on this step-by-step guide for more information on the process.

Sometimes students are reluctant to report an incident of sexual misconduct as alcohol or other drugs were involved.  In cases of sexual assault, the College will grant amnesty from violations of alcohol or drug policies to students who file a report and/or who were victimized by an act of sexual misconduct.

In both cases, whether you disclose to a College employee or file a report, the Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator will begin an investigation.  These trained staff members will work one-on-one with you to support and assist you, including discussing legal options available and the College’s hearing process.

The Suffolk County’s Office of the District Attorney also offers information on Victim’s Assistance, including legal options.

Title IX requires the College to balance the needs of the individual reporting an incident who may request confidentiality with its obligation to end the harassment and consider the well-being of the community at large. If the misconduct is reported to the Title IX Coordinator, the College must respond appropriately. If you are concerned about confidentiality, discuss this issue first with the College's confidential counselors, who will be able to explain various options you may take and the implications for each option and direct you to other on- or off-campus resources as appropriate.

Because Emmanuel takes allegations of sex discrimination and sexual harassment seriously, the College designees will respond promptly to complaints and where it is determined that such inappropriate conduct has occurred, will act promptly to eliminate the conduct and impose such corrective action as is necessary, including disciplinary action where appropriate.

The Title IX Coordinator or Deputy Coordinator will work with you to determine what accommodations you need and will act on your behalf with the faculty members involved.

When Campus Safety becomes aware of an off-campus emergency involving an Emmanuel student, faculty or staff member, the Police Department of jurisdiction will be immediately notified, and Campus Safety Officers will assist in coordinating the response.

Campus Safety has strong relationships with the Boston Police, Brookline Police and the Massachusetts State Police and routinely interacts in exchanging information, reporting crimes, conducting investigations and conducting joint training exercises.

For a Title IX investigation, the alleged conduct must have occurred in the United States within an Emmanuel College education program or activity, which includes “locations, events or circumstances over which the school exercises substantial control over both the respondent and the context in which the sexual harassment occurred.”

No. Emmanuel prohibits any form of retaliation against persons who exercise their rights or responsibilities. This is a provision of the Campus SaVE Act.

The Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Deputy will meet one-on-one with any respondent to go through the process. The respondent is presumed not to be responsible for the alleged conduct until a determination regarding responsibility is made at the conclusion of the grievance process. The respondent will be made aware of all rights and treated equally to the complainant during the process.

When a report is filed, the Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Deputy will walk you through every step including:

• Options for informal resolution
• Written notice to the complainant and respondent
• Live hearing (conducted via Zoom)
• Appeals

The investigation and hearing process are outlined in detail in the Title IX policies.

Yes, both the respondent and complainant are informed through the written notice that they may have an advisor, who may be, but is not required to be, an attorney. An advisor may be present during any grievance proceeding. The College may restrict the extent to which the advisor may participate in the proceedings as long as the restrictions apply equally to both parties, but may not restrict an advisor from (1) conducting cross-examinations or (2) submitting a response to the Investigative Report discussed below. If a party does not have an advisor present at a hearing, and wishes to have an advisor, the College will provide an advisor of the party’s choosing, without fee.